1 killed as Haitian college students protest earlier death

A couple hundred university students in Haiti's capital have blocked roads and burned cars as they clashed with police while protesting the killing of a fellow student during a demonstration last week

APTOPIX Haiti Protest (The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A couple hundred university students blocked roads and burned cars Monday as they clashed with police in Haiti’s capital while protesting the killing of a fellow student at a demonstration last week.

Grégory Saint-Hilaire was killed Friday in front of a university in Port-au-Prince during a small protest in which dozens of students demanded work opportunities. One protester died during Monday’s protest after being shot in the head.

Students blamed both deaths on police.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on the latest death. The government issued a statement calling Saint-Hilaire’s death “revolting and inexcusable” and saying an investigation was under way.

Students and supporters vowed to keep protesting as Haiti’s economic crisis deepens amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s very hard for us to get work,” said 42-year-old Jean-Pierre Maxon. “Parents can’t provide for their children.”